Tesla announced on its Chinese Weibo channel that customer deliveries of the “evolved” Model Y have started in China.
The company noted that “Only those that continue to evolve are called smart cars” (via Google Translate), suggesting that the constant updates to its cars will continue in the future.
The updated Made-in-China (MIC) Tesla Model Y was introduced on October 1, 2023, bringing small changes to the exterior (new, black 19-inch wheel design), interior (an RGB ambient light on the dash and a new textile dashboard material), and a few different specs (a bit more range and better acceleration on some versions).
Interestingly, prices for the three available versions in China (RWD, Long Range RWD, and Performance) remain the same and, as of October 1, 2023, were as follows:
- Model Y RWD (LFP): Price: $36,788 (263,900 CNY)
- Model Y Long Range AWD: Price: $41,806 (299,900 CNY)
- Model Y Performance: Price: $48,776 (349,900 CNY)
The latest update applied in China is expected to be followed by a much more significant upgrade (previously associated with the code name Juniper) at some point in 2024.
Meanwhile, customer deliveries of the upgraded Tesla Model 3 (Highland), introduced on September 1, have yet to begin. The official info says that in the case of China (and Europe), deliveries will start during the fourth quarter, so essentially it might happen any day right now.
In the United States, the Tesla Model 3 (Highland) will be launched in 2024. Time will tell whether the updates recently applied to the Model Y will spread to other Tesla factories in the US and in Germany.
The Tesla Model Y accounts for the majority of car production at the Tesla Giga Shanghai factory. It will be very interesting to see how the proportions between the MIC Model 3 and MIC Model Y will change once the upgraded Model 3 enters the market. At least temporarily, the Model 3 might get a noticeable boost.
